Women in Leadership Seminars

Women in Leadership Seminar Series

Our signature 2018 Women in Leadership (WIL) Seminar Series is a monthly program that provides a small group forum for female leaders to interact with each other and with inspirational and successful leadership role models, thought leaders, and other experts. Read highlights from past seminars.

TLG’s monthly Women in Leadership seminar series occurs either the third or fourth Friday of each month at the Commerce Club at 191 Peachtree Street (49th floor). Breakfast and networking begin at 7:30am and the presentation begins at 8:00am. Directions.

For information on 2018 WIL subscriptions call or email Susan Hitchcock (susanhitchcock@turknett.com). If you have never attended, please call and let us know if you would like to attend your first session as our guest.

2018 Women in Leadership Series:

January 26: “Progress in Women’s Leadership from the C-Suite to the Boardroom: Advocacy, Inspiration and Connections” featuring Sarah Ernst, Partner at Alston & Bird and 2016-2017 President of OnBoard. Sarah concentrates her practice on public and private company securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate governance, with an emphasis in the health care sector. Ms. Ernst was named one of Law360’s “Top Attorneys Under 40” and is listed as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers. Beyond her legal expertise and accomplishments, Sarah is passionate about increasing the number of women on corporate boards and in the c-suite, through her work on the Board of Directors and as the immediate past President of OnBoard. She received her J.D. from the Univ. of Oklahoma and her B.S.F.S., cum laude, from the Georgetown School of Foreign Service, and she also attended the U.S. Naval Academy.

February 23: “Successful Women Don’t Run from Change: They Run Toward It” featuring Dagmar Boggs, President of The Coca-Cola Company 7-Eleven Global Customer Team. In her 22-year tenure at Coke, Dagmar has had numerous leadership positions, including VP of the global Burger King Customer Team, spanning over 90 countries. Previously she worked for the Quaker Oats Co. Among her many other leadership roles, Dagmar serves on the board of the Network of Executive Women (NEW); is a member of the Women’s Foodservice Forum; a “Leader in Residence” at Emory’s Goizueta Business School, and she is a member of Executive Women of Goizueta. Dagmar is also a member of Ribbons of Hope, an Atlanta charity for women. She is a graduate of Rollins College and has an EMBA from Emory’s Goizueta Business School.

March 23: “Intercultural Business Agility” featuring Soumaya Khalifa, CEO / Founder of Khalifa Consulting. Soumaya’s work across cultures has earned her widespread recognition including an invitation to the White House; being named a Citizen Diplomat by the U.S. State Department; and appearing on TV & radio and featured in the New York Times. She has over 20 years’ experience with Fortune 100 companies, government and non-profit organizations; is Adjunct Faculty at Emory Univ. for Continuing Education; and has served at the Federal Executive Institute to assess and develop top talent. Soumaya holds an MBA in Human Resources from Georgia State Univ.; a B.S. in Chemistry from the Univ. of Houston; and she is fluent in English and Arabic and studied 3 other languages. She is also a contributing author for the book Religious Diversity at Work.

April 27:“Diversity and Inclusion: A Business Strategy That Works” featuring Beatriz Rodriguez, Director & Chief Diversity Officer, The Home Depot. As an executive with a Fortune 100 company and in her current role, Bea is one of the top women leaders in Georgia. Previously, she served as Regional HR Director for The Home Depot, and before that she was a Commercial Credit Analyst at Banco Popular de Puerto Rico. Beyond her business roles, Bea is known for her volunteer work, especially in causes relating to children where she has been a tutor, fundraiser, and member of the board for various organizations. She received her BBA degree in Marketing from Universidad de Puerto Rico, an MBA in HR from Walden Univ., and – in 2017 – a Doctorate in Business Administration from Walden. Authentic and focused, Bea is a true leadership role model.

May 25: “Lessons in Leadership: The Fallacy of the Complete Leader” featuring Dr. Kathy Schwaig, Dean and Dinos Eminent Scholar Chair of Entrepreneurial Management at Kennesaw State University, Full Professor Information Technology. Dr. Schwaig holds a PhD from the Univ. of South Carolina, and an MBA & BBA from Baylor Univ. Highly respected among Georgia’s top business school deans, her teaching and research areas include IT Project Mgmt., Information Privacy, IT Leadership, and Knowledge Management. Among her many honors and awards are ATL Magazine’s “Women Making a Mark;” the Oxford Center’s Leadership for Entrepreneurs Award; a Distinguished Achievement in Business Award; a Cobb County “Women’s Glass Ceiling Award”; and 6 times listed in the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s “Top Leaders in Education.”

June 22: “Dare to Take Charge: Finding Your Purpose and Passion” featuring Judge Glenda Hatchett, Founder of The Hatchett Firm. The Hatchett Firm specializes in risk and crisis management as well as innovative and effective closing and settlement strategies. Known for her 18 year run in the two-time Emmy nominated and nationally syndicated courtroom series Judge Hatchett, she now presides in a new series, The Verdict with Judge Hatchett. Previously with Delta Air Lines for 10 years, Judge Hatchett served as Senior Attorney and was the highest-ranking woman of color worldwide, and prior to that position, as Public Relations Manager with global responsibilities. She left Delta to accept an appointment as Chief Presiding Judge of the Fulton County Juvenile Court, one of the largest systems in the country. She is also a member of the Atlanta Falcon’s Board of Advisors.

July 27: “How to Build a Legacy Not Just a Resume” featuring Tom Darrow, Founder & Principal of Talent Connections, LLC and Career Spa, LLC. With 30 years in the Human Resources and Recruitment profession, Tom has done it all. Nationally and internationally recognized and honored, he has served on the SHRM Foundation Board since 2010, and was Board Chair 2015-2016. Prior to that, he was president of SHRM-ATL ’06 -’07, received a Lifetime Achievement Award, and was the GA State Council’s HR Leader of the Year. Tom also founded and chaired TAG’s Recruiting Society, and was the Inaugural President of TAG’s Leadership Council. Equally notable, his community leadership roles, board service and contributions are exceptional. Tom personifies leadership character demonstrating integrity, respect and responsibility in all he does.

August 24: “Making Georgia the Capital of the Film Industry” featuring Lee Thomas, Deputy Commissioner Film, Music and Digital Entertainment Georgia; Beth Talbert, VP Studio Operations – Eagle Rock Studios; & Misty Holcomb, SVP Government Relations – State, McGuireWoods Consulting LLC. This powerful panel of female leaders has helped make Georgia the #1 filming location in the world. Lee has 20+ years of experience and stellar accomplishments in her industry; worked in New York with the Brooklyn Arts Council; and was promoted in 2011 to her current position. Beth, a North Carolina native, brings “L.A. to Atlanta” with decades of film industry experience including her work with Sunset Bronson Studios in Hollywood. In her current role, Misty focuses on the healthcare and entertainment industries; has legislative experience with the GA General Assembly, has worked as a TV reporter, anchor and talk show host; and is very active in the Junior League among other pursuits.

September 28: “How to Spur Creativity, Teamwork and Innovation in Your Organization” featuring Lisa Fey, President of Lisa Fey Speaks LLC and former Sales & Marketing Leader at The Coca-Cola Company. Combining a 30 year corporate career, an MBA and her training in improvisation, Lisa brings a unique perspective and a very special skill set to every engagement. She built credibility by growing business, promoting a team culture and developing leaders. She now uses her exceptional talent to engage and inspire individuals and teams to increase performance and effectiveness. Lisa is Immediate Past President of The National Speakers Association – GA Chapter; Board member of World Improv Theatre; past member of UNC – Chapel Hill Board of Visitors; and At-Large Board Member – Executive Women of Goizueta – Emory Univ. Prepare to laugh and learn with Lisa.

October 26: “Leading Atlanta Forward: A Coalition That Works” featuring Duriya Farooqui, Executive Director of Atlanta Committee for Progress (ACP). Duriya is also a Director of Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) and Advisor to Engage Ventures. Prior to ACP, Duriya was a principal at Bain & Co. After her consulting roles, she served as the COO for the City of Atlanta where she managed a budget of over $2B and 7,000+ employees, and is credited with negotiating many of the city’s major deals and agreements. She holds an M.P.A. in International Development from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and a B.A. in Economics and Mathematics from Hampshire College. Highly respected for her civic engagement, Duriya is a Trustee of the Woodruff Arts Center and of Agnes Scott College and serves on the board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta.

November 16: “What Leadership and Being a CEO Mean to Me” featuring Aviva Leebow Wolmer, CEO, Pacesetter Steel Service. A 2017 Atlanta Business Chronicle “Most Admired CEO,” Aviva is a second-generation CEO in her company with a special focus on technology, talent and culture. Known as a thought leader and pioneer in her industry, her previous roles include Learning Leader, VP for People, Acting VP of Sales, and Executive Vice President. Aviva is a sought after speaker and was the keynote at the 2015 North America Steel Conference. She has also been featured on Kathy Ireland’s “World Wide Business” segment. In addition to her ABC honor, Aviva received the 2015 Claudia B. Waters Award in recognition of her drive, fairness, and other leadership qualities. In 2017 she proudly added “new mother” to her many roles and accomplishments.

December 14: “Resilience, Risk, & Reward: Lessons in Turning Challenges into Opportunities” featuring Susan Hitchcock, Executive Director, Women’s Initiatives and Advisory Board member, Turknett Leadership Group (TLG). A “seasoned” businesswoman and unabashed advocate for women’s advancement, Susan has five decades of leadership experience from corporate to leadership consulting. In Southern Bell/BellSouth, she held leadership positions in Network Operations and directed Georgia’s management assessment and management training centers. At TLG, she helped grow the firm as VP of Client Services, founded the WIL seminar series, and helped launch the Leadership Character Awards. In the community she has served on multiple boards for literacy and women’s leadership, and received awards including induction into the POW! Award Hall of Fame. A proud graduate of Agnes Scott College, she has served as president of the Alumnae Assoc., a Trustee, Chair of the Student Affairs Committee, and was a 2017 “Outstanding Alumnae Award” recipient for Service to the College.